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T
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I do not know Jesenice station but as far as I can see there are 2 platforms and 3 tracks. It will be an easy connection and I'm almost certain that the second train will wait for the Ljubljana train even with 10 min or more delay. The trains are timed for these connections. Don't worry.

For the change in Zweisimmen it's very easy from platform 6 to 5. 90% of the people from Spiez will take the Montreux train. It is a guaranteed conmection. (In an extreme case the next connection would be 1h later)

Visp - Spiez direct is 20 min fully in a tunnel. There are lights in the train ofc so I don't think it would feel too claustrophobic.

But the Visp - Brig - Spiez option is very scenic so I'd rather choose that one. You slowly climb on one side of the Rhone Valley. Here's what it looked like last Saturday (my picture) :

 

V
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Brig - Spiez  1h08 - i could not find that one on sbb. 

it`s either 46” IC6 or 1h21” RE?

so which one to take?

 

V
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it`s really very scenic, we take that one.

You travel a lot, I am assuming.

V
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Depends when you would like to leave, and from where?

From Chur to Zermatt, leave at about 10am

V
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i was just looking on the google map.

Does the train from Brig to Spiez go via Visp?

So maybe we do not need to go from visp to Brig, but directly from Visp to Spiez? or is it only the tunnel one directly from Visp to Spiez?

R
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Depends when you would like to leave, and from where?

From Chur to Zermatt, leave at about 10am

Chur 9:55 - Zermatt 16:14.

Just use sbb.ch, add "Via Andermatt” to get the correct route.

Please ask questions in the community and not via a private message. That's the quickest way to get a response. I don't work for Eurail/Interrail.
seewulf
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Only the tunnel direct trains go through Visp.

The old line (scenic one) goes above the valley and above Visp. You'll see where you were an hour earlier from a higher perspective. :)

You need to get to Brig but it is worth the extra time

I just can follow the suggestion to take the time via Brig and the Lötschberg Hill Route it´s very scenic :) Make sure to get seats on the left side of traveling :) 

I´ am not working for Eurail or Interrail i just share my knowledge here. Please ask in the Community and not via private message as this is the fastest way to get an answer. I prefer English/German/ Czech for my answers. In case of Reservationquestions please share some details like Route, Date, Trainnumber as otherwise we can just provide general advices or answers
V
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Hi,

 

Thank you all for your replies. They have been very helpful.

  1. Nightjet Hamburg-Munich. If I want to buy the seats in the sleeping compatment on a website otherthan innterail.com, do I have to pay for those tickets as well or will I just need to show them somehow that I have the passes bought through innerail? OR Can I just buy the seats on anther website without the tickets (as I will have the passes bought on innerail)?
  2. Glacier and Bernina expresses - when I am using the innerail app to create trips and I have a route with many train changes - do I need to create it as one big trip eg. chur to Zermatt OR do I need to create trips for every part of the journey eg. chur - arnematt, arnematt - something else, etc. 
  3. Generally speaking, if I want to make seat reservations already but the particular connection is not yet on the innerail triplanner, can I reserve them on an external website and then somehow add it to the trip on the innerrail app later on?
  4. Replacement bus from Milan to Tirano - if it is not possible to book the seats on this bus, what should I do if there is not enough seats for all travellers to get on? Will they arrange another bus for us or what is the procedure/rules with replacement buses? 
ralderton
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  1. You can buy from www.oebb.at - you don’t need to show them your Interrail ticket
  2. Either is fine. I put the trains in separately, because it’s easier to make changes if you want to take a different train, and it’s easier for my brain!
  3. Reservations and adding a journey to your trip are two separate things. The trip planner doesn’t care about your reservations, and your reservation doesn’t care about the trip planner. The guard on the train wants to see both! Make the reservations as soon as you want to.
  4. There was plenty of space, and lots of buses when I got it last summer. I wouldn’t worry about it. I’m sure they know the expected demand, and have a plan for backup buses or taxi. On the day I was there, there were some buses going straight to Tirano, and some making stops along the way.
R
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  1. You can buy reservations anywhere you like (your pass is your ticket). In the train, you need to show the pass and the reservation. On tickets.oebb.at, the reservations will be 2€ per person cheaper than on the Interrail website. Add the Interrail/Eurail discount and then select "One-way tickets and day tickets”. You will then get reservations valid with Interrail (or Eurail).
  2. You can add the trains as you like: all in one journey or each train separately.
  3. I always ignore the rail planner app for the planning because it's not reliable and only use it to register my journeys while travelling. Reservations are entirely separate from the app. The app can't book reservations and will not show any reservations you booked.
  4. Don't worry about that. Last time I used a replacement bus there, there was enough space.
Please ask questions in the community and not via a private message. That's the quickest way to get a response. I don't work for Eurail/Interrail.
V
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Hi again, 

one more question. 

What is the best way to get from Geneva to Chamonix-Mont-Blanc and/or to Mont Blanc itself?

cheers viking

 

V
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Hej again,

when I will activate the pass, first then I can create the day ticket. Is it correct?

When the day ticket is done, but one train is delayed and we can't reach the next train from our day trip, but instead we have to take a later train, do we have to change this in the day ticket and if so how to do it?

A
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The recommendation from the experienced travellers in the community is to only make reservations through the Eurail website if no other options are available. Please read more about that below. There is no connection between your reservations and the Railplanner, no matter where you make the reservations. 

 

Here is some useful information from the experienced travellers in the Community regarding both planning, reservations and activation of pass and travel days. 

 Planning

The rail planner is normally not up to date, as it only is updated once a month, so to be sure of the time table you better check the timetable and availability on the websites of the national railways. The bigger national railways, like DB (Germany) SBB (Switzerland) and ÖBB (Austria) cover several countries. 

 Reservations 

The advice from the experienced travellers in the community is to use other ways to make reservations than the Interrail/Eurail website.  You can look at the guide in the link:

https://community.eurail.com/train-connections-reservations-47/how-to-get-reservations-105

If you, after having looked at the guide, have questions about how to make specific reservation, please give your travel details (departure date, time and route) preferably in a new topic, and you will get advice.

Please note that Interrail/Eurail charges an extra fee of 2 EUR per person and train in addition to the fee for the seat reservation.

 Activation of pass

During the activation process you choose the start day of the validity of the pass. Once the validity has started it can't be changed even if you haven't travelled. The advice is therefore to wait with activating the pass and starting the validity until the first day of your travel as you only can deactivate the pass no later than 23.59 CET on the day before the validity starts. If your travel plans change in the last moment you can't deactivate the pass and change the validity. 

It can be wise to make a test and activate the pass with a start date well in the future and then deactivate the pass immediately, just to see that everything works.

 Activation of travel day

The advice from the experienced travellers in the community is also never to activate a travel day, that is connect a journey to your pass and create the ticket (QR code), until just before boarding the train, otherwise you might loose a travel day if your travel plans change in a late stage  You can't delete a travel day in the past. A travel day can only be deleted until 23.59 CET the day before the travel day.

Please note that I don't work for Interrail/Eurail and that I don't reply to personal messages.
T
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The fastest way (2h41), almost hourly :

- Genève - St-Gervais-les-Bains-Le-Fayet : at some hours with an extra change in Annemasse

- St-Gervais-les-Bains-Le-Fayet - Chamonix-Mont-Blanc (the French do love long station names !)

The other way (3h35), hourly :

- Genève - Martigny

- Martigny - Vallorcine

- Vallorcine - Chamonix-Mont-Blanc

You could do a round-trip so you see different scenery :) sbb.ch/SBB app will give you accurate info (sncf-connect.com should too)

Edit : it looks like there are buses too which are way faster (1h30) but I can't help. They're not included in Interrail obviously.

BrendanDB
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Correct, first pass activation, than the travel day. 

If your train is scheduled to leave before or on 23:59 that, but the train is delayed so arriving after midnight, you can still use it on that same qr code of travel day 0 and finish your journey with that train, without the need for a qr code for travel day +1 (Late at night trains usually wait for connections, or when missed the company will provide alternatives. ) 

If you take a train that is scheduled after midnight, you'll need another travel day anyway. 

V
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Thank you for your answer.

Let`s take another example.

Day x - 3 trains, but the first train is delayed so instead of the second train at 2 pm I need to take the second train at 3 pm and the 3rd instead of 5 pm , I have to take the 3rd at 6 pm. I such a case do I have to change the trains in the day ticket for this day? and if yes how?

M
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V
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thanks again, 

what do you mean with you won´t climb Matterhorn? is it like not permitted to walk up there or is it to hard for amateurs? i know , you wrote there is no cable cars

what are you other suggestions for scenic trains in Switzerland?

we got the seats numbers in confirmation email. it´s  91-94. does it mean they all are in the same compartment?

generally is it worth to check the nightjet later on to try to find seats because some has cancelled?

 

 

 

 

T
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Yes it is hard to climb the Matterhorn and not worth it (you won't see the mountain after all). I do not know of anyone that have climbed a bit and gone down. There are much better hiking trails. For example from the Gornergrat to Stellisee.

With your Gornergrat you are allowed to leave the train at every stop and hike a little bit before taking the train again. Many people hike between Gornergrat or Rotenboden - Riffelsee - Riffelberg. You have the best possible view of the Matterhorn too (reflected in a lake). You can have a look at pictures. Of course you won't be alone but that's the same for every hiking trail. The trail is not hard but keep in mind that you are above 2500 m elevation.

 

Yes you'll be together in the same couchette compartment. They work like this :

- 11-16 one compartment

- 21-26 another compartment

- and so on...

- 91-96 your compartment (berths 95 and 96 won't be used)

I don't think it is worth checking again. All the Nightjet couchettes for this summer will be sold out soon.

V
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thank you.

I will try with busses then.

I am assuming you have been to Geneve many times. 

What would you reccomend to see / visit apart from Cerm?

T
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Well first all Swiss railways are scenic I'd say !

Which day of your trip is not planned yet ? Maybe Zermatt - Geneva ?

Instead of the easy Zermatt - Visp - Geneva (beautiful) you could do (even more beautiful) :

- Zermatt - Visp - Brig - Spiez (Old Lötschberg Line instead of the 35-km tunnel) - Zweisimmen - Montreux - Geneva.

From Spiez it is part of the Golden Pass route. No need to book reservations, just take one of the hourly trains and stop where you feel like it.

Of course it takes longer but the journey is part of the trip !

On the last day are you doing Geneva - Zurich - Munich for the night train ?

I'd take the IC1 between Geneva and Zurich (hourly). Then the EC to Munich (reservations really recommended for the EC, small train with a lot of demand)

T
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Yes I don't live too far away from Geneva. :)

I actually went there mainly for shopping and museums. Here's my top 3 :

- Botanical Garden

- Jet d'Eau (of course)

- MEG (Musée d'ethnographie) : big and truly interesting collection. Also very refreshing in summer :)

I'm sure there are plenty other sights

R
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Keep in mind that Italian timetables are still far from complete for the summer timetable starting on 11 June. To get an idea of the possibilities, search for timetables on the same day of the week but before 11 June.

As to the Glacier Express, you won't always find it if you just ask for Chur to Zermatt because it is not the fastest connection. Force the journey to go via Andermatt.

Also don't use the rail planner app or the Interrail website to plan because they're not reliable and often out of date. Use national planners/websites and for international planning, the DB website is a good choice. For Switzerland use www.sbb.ch (also quite good for international timetables) for Italy www.trenitalia.com.

Please ask questions in the community and not via a private message. That's the quickest way to get a response. I don't work for Eurail/Interrail.
T
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1. There would be a Nightjet leaving Hamburg Hbf to Passau at 20:24.

- IC Vejle - Hamburg Hbf 16:24 - 20:02

- NJ Hamburg Hbf - Passau 20:24 - 06:24

- RE Passau Hbf - München Hbf 06:46 - 08:56

There's indeed no direct night trains from Hamburg. There are ICE trains running through the night but they have regular seats only.

If you want to take this night train, book it asap.

Another option would be to take Zurich's night train and leave it in Karlsruhe at 06:02. As it leaves Hamburg Hbf at 22:07 you'll get less sleep. This option would get you in Munich between 10:00 and 11:00.

Edit : Zurich-bound night train is already full. Vienna-bound night train which you'd leave in Passau has couchettes for 176€ (private) or for 136€ (with 2 other people). I'd buy all the night trains ASAP. There's not enough couchettes at all to meet the demand all over Europe as you can see.

 

2. On busy mainlines it is recommended. In Switzerland I do not usually recommend it because it is rare to find a full train and people won't care about your reservations because it is so unusual to make one (unless you're a class or a big group).

3. There is a connection leaving Ljubljana at around 7:00. You can check the current timetables and they shouldn't change a lot this summer.

4. There will be engineering works between Sondrio and Tirano between June and September. No trains will be running but there will be replacement buses. Just allow an extra bit of time. The Bernina Line is a must but it is not necessary to pay extra for the big windows. You can either take the hourly regional trains with some open-air coaches in the summer (check on SBB app), or the first coaches of the Bernina Express with windows that can be opened (reservation-free) !

V
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I was looking at the map from your link again.

But i could not find Matterhorn peak unless is it the same like durfourspitze?

And where from exactly are the picturens with the lake and Matterhorn taken?

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